A Sailor's Christmas

Jimmy Buffett

Lyrics

Intro

| Am . . . | C . . . | F . . . | C . . . | (x2)

Verse

GC Sail on the horizon's got a landfall rendezvous
GC Captain steers a well-known course, he steers it straight and true
FCFG As he trims the sheets he sings a song he learned on boats and bars
FCGC A sailor spends his Christmas in a harbor 'neath the stars
GC He's traveled through the doldrums, typhoons and hurricanes
GC He's logged a million soggy miles with water on his brain
FCFG But Christmas is the season better suited for dry land
FCGC He'll tell some lies, meet some spies, and dance barefoot in the sand

Chorus

AmEmFG A sailor spends his Christmas in a harbor on the hook
FCFCFG Ka-lee, ko-lay... no work today, let's shelve the old log book
FCFG The waterfront is reveling, the season has begun
FCGC A sailor spends his Christmas in a harbor having fun
GC There's a party down at Le Selecte... all music, rum, and cheers
GC The faces in the shadows, God, I haven't seen for years
FCFG The mast and shroud are filled with lights 'neath the waning of the moon
FCGC There's an air of celebration in the realm of King Neptune
AmEmFG A sailor spends his Christmas in a harbor on the hook
FCFCFG Ka-lee, ko-lay... no work today, let's shelve the old log book
FCFG The waterfront is reveling, the season has begun
FCGAm A sailor spends his Christmas in a harbor having fun
[Am on "fun"]
[intro chords x2]
GC Jesus was a fisherman who walked upon the sea
GC The North Pole is the ocean's remote rose and balcony
FCFG The continents keep drifting but the children sing and play
FCGC 'Cause nothing really matters, after all its Christmas day
AmEmFG A sailor spends his Christmas in a harbor on the hook
FCFCF G
Ka-lee, ko-lay... no work today, let's shelve the old log book
FCFG The waterfront is reveling, the season has begun
FCGC A sailor spends his Christmas in a harbor having fun
FCGAm A sailor spends his Christmas in a harbor having fun
(...having fun ...having fun ...having fun ...having fun)
[finish with intro chords/riff]

Notes & Tabs

Here is how to play the intro with the instrumental riff. All you have to do is bridge the 1st fret of the high E-strong with your index finger. Your index finger can actually remain on the C note (2nd string / 1st fret) the entire time.

Also... when playing the Am chord with the riff, it sounds better if you don't play the E note (4th string), as it creates heavy dissonance with the riff's F-note (which is not very Christmas-like).

Song Info

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About

My name is David Potsiadlo, and I created Songnotes to share my collection of guitar tabs, chords, and lyrics for my favorite songs.

Since I started playing guitar over 10 years ago, I've often been frustrated by the preponderance of mediocre and incomplete song tabs littered across the internet. To combat this, I started keeping my own collection of notes for each song I learn -- always taking the extra time to make sure accuracy and completeness are never compromised. Years later, my collection grew to the point where I knew I had to share it online with fellow aspiring musicians.

In December 2012, I began designing & developing a website that became Songnotes. Here, I share my personal collection of hand-crafted music notation with all those online. I hope you enjoy.